And-Ones: Expansion, Sweet 16, Coaches, All-Surprise Team
Although all 30 NBA governors voted this week to formally explore the possibility of expanding to Seattle and Las Vegas, there are at least two or three owners who have concerns about the financial aspect and aren’t thrilled by the idea of adding two new expansion teams, writes Howard Beck of The Ringer. According to Beck, there are also several front office executives who view expansion as being solely financially motivated and are skeptical about whether it’s a good idea from a basketball perspective.
“Is (expansion) good? I would say no,” one executive from a playoff team told Beck. “I look at some of these rosters and can say some teams have at least one, if not two, players that shouldn’t be in the NBA. There should be a concern about dilution of talent. The two new teams are going to be really bad for a while. Add to it that good players are staying in college for the paydays they are getting (via NIL), and there is even less talent available.”
As Beck notes within his story, the NBA’s decision to approve an “exploration” of expansion is something of a hedge, giving the league an out if the process doesn’t go as planned. For instance, while team owners would surely feel comfortable moving forward with expansion if it can extract fees in the $8-10 billion range for two new franchises, many of those same owners would be less enthusiastic if the bids topped out at, say, $5 billion.
Beck also wonders if the NBA might be willing to turn away from either Seattle or Las Vegas if a prospective ownership group from another city came through with a massive bid, given that the process appears to be driven by money. However, one executive he spoke to predicted that Seattle and Vegas would be “better markets than some we already have.”
We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- With the Sweet 16 games set to tip off in a matter of hours, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic shares his thoughts on how the NCAA tournament has impacted his perception of several of this year’s top draft prospects, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report updates his 2026 mock draft, and Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports and Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints each identify four players – one from each region – whom they’ll be watching on Thursday and Friday.
- Arguing that a single Coach of the Year award isn’t sufficient to recognize the exceptional performances in the NBA’s head coaching ranks, Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports introduces his “All-Coaching team,” headlined by J.B. Bickerstaff of the Pistons, Mitch Johnson of the Spurs, and Joe Mazzulla of the Celtics.
- Elsewhere on the made-up-award front, Fred Katz of The Athletic unveils the 10 players who made his All-Surprise first and second teams this season. The first team consists of Pistons center Jalen Duren, Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Cavaliers wing Jaylon Tyson, Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, and Celtics center Neemias Queta.
Injury Notes: Embiid, Williams, Dosunmu, McBride
Joel Embiid has been listed as questionable for the Sixers‘ game on Wednesday against the Bulls, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports writes (Twitter link). Embiid, who has been dealing with an oblique strain, hasn’t played since February 26, when he scored 26 points and added 11 rebounds and four assists in a win over the Heat.
While the 7’2″ center’s stats have dipped in the years since he was a perennial MVP candidate, he has had a stronger season than many expected, averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while leading the team to a 21-12 record when he’s available.
Embiid’s upgraded designation coincides with Paul George becoming eligible to return after sitting out the final game of his 25-game suspension. Barring a setback, Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link) expects Embiid to suit up vs. Chicago.
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- On Monday, Jalen Williams returned from a lengthy absence from the Thunder due to a hamstring injury, scoring 18 points and adding six assists. After the game, Williams said that not only was his leg feeling better, but the wrist on which he underwent offseason surgery is finally back to 100 percent, Tim Bontemps writes for ESPN. “It was just like one of those things that like when you have surgery and you rush into games, it’s like, I wouldn’t say rush, but I’m going into games with … I don’t know what my hands are going to look like,” Williams said. “So now I’ve had the time to actually sit down and work on it and do what I normally do throughout that process, now I’m in a really good spot with it.” Williams’ return will only make the Thunder more dangerous as they attempt to repeat as champions, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, who notes that several role players benefited from having step up in Williams’ absence. “You guys got to watch [Ajay Mitchell] blossom even more. [Jaylin Williams] and [Cason Wallace], they’ve had to be in spots that they didn’t think they were going to be in to start the season,” Williams said. “We’re better for it now.”
- Ayo Dosunmu has been added to the Timberwolves‘ injury report for Wednesday’s game against the Rockets, per the team’s Twitter account. He’s now listed as questionable with right calf soreness, an injury that Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic describes as “concerning” (Twitter link), likely due to how cautious teams have been this season with calf injuries and how they can impact players’ Achilles.
- Miles McBride hasn’t played for the Knicks since late January as he works his way back from a core injury that required surgery in early February, but he was back on the court going through his typical pregame routine on Tuesday night, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). Edwards says it’s been a long time since McBride went through his customary warm-up, and speculates that his return could be “very, very soon.” Stefan Bondy of the New York Post posted a video of McBride warming up, saying that it looked like he was moving well (Twitter video link).
Western Notes: Udoka, LeBron, Borrego, Pelicans, Thunder
It was a frustrating Monday night in Chicago for Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, who watched his team lose 132-124 to the lottery-bound Bulls and was ejected late in the fourth quarter for arguing with the referees about flagrant and technical foul decisions, per Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).
“Flagrant was soft as hell, that’s nothing. And the techs were soft, too,” Udoka said of a flagrant foul called on Amen Thompson and techs assigned to Thompson and Kevin Durant. “Not about to complain about a soft crew, so it is what it is.”
While Udoka wasn’t thrilled about the officiating in Chicago, he was more displeased by the effort he saw from his team. Houston gave up 41 points and fell behind by 20 in the first quarter to a Bulls squad that had posted the NBA’s second-worst offensive rating since the All-Star break.
“Poor start, disrespected the game. Not prepared from the get-go,” Udoka said. “Just not aggressive, following around, watching them shoot. … You look at the records, you look at who you’re playing against … and don’t come out prepared and let them be comfortable, gain confidence.”
We have more from around the Western Conference:
- Although the Lakers had their nine-game winning streak snapped on Monday in Detroit, LeBron James has been thriving lately as the NBA’s “best third option,” according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who wonders if the star forward could end up remaining in Los Angeles beyond this season. There was a sense entering the fall that James might have to head elsewhere if he wanted to continue his career beyond 2025/26, with Amick noting that the Cavaliers and Warriors have been frequently speculated as suitors. However, the Lakers’ recent stretch of success suggests they may have more championship upside than previously believed and could still have a place for James in his new-look role alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
- Has James Borrego earned the full-time head coaching job in New Orleans? Management likely won’t make that decision until after the season, but Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required) notes that Borrego has made a strong case since replacing Willie Green earlier this season. The Pelicans are 12-7 since the trade deadline, with nine double-digit wins during that stretch. “With the coaching change, (Borrego) just came in and tried to turn it around,” Pelicans forward Herbert Jones said. “We were in a bad spot. He just changed it with his energy and encouraged guys to show up every day with energy and be themselves and continue to cheer the guy next to you and not worry about self-accomplishments.”
- As Jeff Duncan writes in a separate NOLA.com story, the Pelicans have unveiled plans for a significant renovation project for Smoothie King Center. The hope is that the renovation will be the linchpin of an agreement to extend the team’s lease at the arena — the current deal expires in 2029.
- Elsewhere on the arena front, the Thunder announced today in a press release that their new arena, projected to open for the 2028/29 season, will be called the Continental Coliseum.
Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama Argues MVP Case
A locker room conversation on Monday night that began with Spurs wing Keldon Johnson making Victor Wembanyama‘s Most Valuable Player case to Jared Weiss of The Athletic turned into Wembanyama himself tagging in for his teammate and explaining to Weiss why he feels he deserves to be this year’s NBA MVP.
As Weiss writes, Wembanyama highlighted the impact he has on the defensive end of the court, contending that his case hinges on the fact that he’s such an outlier in terms of defensive value, especially compared to his primary competitors for MVP. The Spurs big man suggested that’s one of three primary arguments in his favor relative to current betting favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder.
“My first (argument) would be that defense is 50 percent of the game and that is undervalued, so far, in the MVP race,” Wembanyama said. “I believe I’m the most impactful player defensively in the league. Second argument would be that we almost swept OKC in the season and we dominated them three times with their real team and four times with the, you know, more rotation players. My third argument would be that offense impact is not just points.”
Wembanyama expanded on that last point by focusing on the defensive attention he commands in the pick-and-roll, adding that he has seen data showing that he ranks right alongside Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the most effective roll man in the NBA. However, he acknowledged that voters need to weigh defensive impact more heavily in order for him to have a legitimate chance at MVP honors.
“It’s going to happen (over) time,” Wembanyama told Weiss. “If there were more players like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) in the past years, maybe defense would have been more recognized. I don’t know.”
Wembanyama is averaging 24.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 blocks in just 29.3 minutes per game over the course of 56 appearances this season, with a .504/.356/.818 shooting line. Those offensive numbers pale in comparison to Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31.6 PPG, 6.6 APG, and .553/.390/.888 shooting.
Still, Wembanyama’s on/off numbers reflect his value, particularly on defense. The Spurs have registered a +16.6 net rating and 103.5 defensive rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -0.1 net rating and 113.7 defensive rating when he’s not. According to Weiss, he has spoken to some voters who’ve said that they’d vote for Wembanyama if the Spurs (54-18) pass the Thunder (57-15) for the NBA’s best record.
Following his conversation with Weiss, Wembanyama told reporters in his post-game media session that he’s determined to solidify his MVP case by finishing the season strong.
“I think right now, there is a debate,” he said. “There should be, even though I think I should lead the race. And I’ll try to make sure that by the end of the season, there’s no debate.”
Atlantic Notes: Fultz, George, McCain, Minott, Tatum
The Raptors were down three starters on Monday vs. Utah, with Brandon Ingram (right heel inflammation), Immanuel Quickley (plantar fasciitis), and Jakob Poeltl (injury load management) all sidelined, notes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). However, rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles returned following an 11-game absence due to a thumb injury, and newly signed point guard Markelle Fultz made his Toronto debut.
The Raptors were outscored by 15 points during Fultz’s 16 minutes of action, and he had more turnovers (3) than points (2). However, there were also some “flashes of high-level play,” according to Grange. The former No. 1 overall pick contributed five assists and pair of steals off the bench in a victory over the Jazz. Notably, it was his second game of the day, as he had also suited up in the morning for the Raptors 905 in the G League before officially being promoted to the NBA.
“He’s (a) point guard. You can see that he’s comfortable getting the team into the offense and organizing, and he had five assists,” head coach Darko Rajakovic said. “It was awesome to see him out there, knowing that he played a game this morning.”
While it remains to be seen whether Fultz will stick with the Raptors beyond his initial 10-day contract, he has made a positive impression on the organization with his attitude since he originally joined Toronto’s G League affiliate.
“What I’ve been most impressed about was his level of professionalism and humility,” Raptors 905 coach Drew Jones said, per Grange. “You know, a former No. 1 pick, he could come in here and have a crazy chip on his shoulder, act like he owns the place. But he walked right in and said, ‘Coach, what do you need me to do? I said, ‘Lead, defend, and be the play-maker that we know you all are.’ And he’s been awesome, just awesome.”
We have more from around the Atlantic:
- Paul George served the 25th and final game of his suspension on Monday, meaning he’s eligible to return to the Sixers‘ lineup on Wednesday vs. Chicago. Head coach Nick Nurse said on Monday that George has “conditioned hard” during his absence, adding that he has no ramp-up concerns about the veteran forward, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.
- Former Sixers guard Jared McCain scored 13 points off the bench on Monday to help the Thunder beat his old team. As Tony Jones of The Athletic writes, McCain admitted that it felt “a little weird” to be going up against the 76ers after having been traded out of Philadelphia just last month. “It was nice to come back, but it will definitely always feel weird coming back here,” he said. “It’s like a nostalgic feeling to come back and not live here. Hopefully, there is some closure that comes soon. But I still don’t think I have closure yet.”
- Acquired at February’s trade deadline in what was essentially just a salary-dump deal for Boston, Josh Minott may be carving out a role with the Nets going forward, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). As Lewis explains, Minott’s defensive tenacity and overall competitiveness is a welcome addition to a Brooklyn team that wants to be competitive next season, and his $2.6MM option for 2026/27 is extremely team-friendly.
- With Celtics star Jayson Tatum acknowledging that he’s frustrated by not yet being able to do everything he used to on the basketball court, Jay King of The Athletic checks in on Tatum’s early progress. The veteran forward’s defensive and rebounding numbers have been strong, King notes, but he’s taking more three-pointers and fewer free throws than he typically would.
Sixers Notes: McCain, Barlow, Edgecombe, Bailey, Embiid
The Sixers will see a familiar face when Jared McCain returns to Philadelphia tonight, but they don’t anticipate a friendly reunion, at least not on the court, Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes in a subscriber-only story. The second-year guard was traded to the Thunder at last month’s deadline, and his former teammates expect him to make a statement in their first meeting since the deal.
“Jared McCain’s about to try to come kill us,” Trendon Watford said. “We know how that’s about to go.”
McCain was a candidate for All-Rookie honors last year before injuries ended his season after 23 games. After returning from knee and thumb surgeries, it was difficult for him to get regular playing time in a crowded Sixers backcourt and he had a couple of brief stints with the G League team in Delaware.
President of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters that he was “selling high” on McCain when he sent him to Oklahoma City in exchange for a collection of draft picks that included a 2026 first-rounder that originally belonged to Houston. Mizell points out that the deal also helped Philadelphia escape the luxury tax.
McCain has become another potent bench weapon in OKC, where he’s averaging 12.3 PPG and shooting 44% from three-point range for the defending champs. McCain was a popular presence in the locker room, Mizell adds, and Sixers players are glad that he’s succeeding.
“That’s our dog,” VJ Edgecombe said. “Everyone still [loves] Jared. I’m pretty sure it’s vice versa. I’m just happy to see him hooping.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- The Sixers’ injury list got longer on Saturday when Dominick Barlow was forced out of a game at Utah with a sprained left ankle, Mizell states in a separate story. Head coach Nick Nurse said X-rays were negative, and Barlow was able to walk out of the locker room without any protection on the ankle. He’s listed as doubtful for Monday’s game.
- Edgecombe and Ace Bailey, whom the Sixers were deciding between with their No. 3 pick last June, had their first NBA meeting on Saturday, Mizell adds in another piece. Philadelphia is ecstatic with Edgecombe, who’s in the midst of an outstanding rookie season, but Bailey has also been playing well lately as his minutes have increased. Edgecombe said they became friends during the pre-draft process, but never discussed who might be taken third. “I let him be. He let me be,” Edgecombe said. “And we just congratulated each other on draft night.”
- Joel Embiid will miss another game tonight with a right oblique strain, but there’s some promising news on the star center, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Embiid has been conducting on-court workouts, and although he’s still experiencing some pain, he hasn’t suffered any setbacks. He’s played in 33 games this season and has been sidelined since February 26.
Jalen Williams To Return To Action Monday
Jalen Williams will suit up for the Thunder in Monday’s game against the Sixers, Shams Charania reports for ESPN (via Twitter).
Williams has appeared in just 26 games for Oklahoma City this season and has been sidelined for the team’s last 16 contests while recovering from a hamstring injury. His last appearance came in a win over the Suns on February 11.
Perhaps because of the injuries, the All-NBA forward has struggled to find his rhythm this season, averaging 17.5 points per game, his lowest mark since his rookie year, while shooting a personal-worst 31.3% from three. However, he is dishing out a career-high 5.4 assists per night.
The Thunder’s starting lineup of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Isaiah Hartenstein has played just five games together this season, Charania notes (Twitter link). Despite that, the club has the best record in the league at 56-15 with 11 regular season games left to play.
Oklahoma City will be without Ajay Mitchell vs. Philadelphia, as he was suspended for his involvement in a fight against the Wizards on Saturday.
Two Players Suspended, Three Fined For Thunder-Wizards Scuffle
Wizards forward Justin Champagnie and Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell have been suspended one game apiece for their roles in Saturday’s scuffle between the two teams, the NBA announced in a press release (Twitter link).
Champagnie and Mitchell were suspended without pay for “fighting and escalating an on-court altercation which spilled over into the spectator stands,” per the league’s statement.
In addition to the two suspensions, Thunder big man Jaylin Williams was fined $50K, while Thunder guard Cason Wallace and Wizards forward Anthony Gill were each fined $35K for their parts in the incident, which occurred late in the second quarter of Oklahoma City’s victory.
After a long review by the officials, Champagnie and Williams were each given two technical fouls, which is an automatic ejection. Mitchell and Wallace were assessed one technical apiece and were also thrown out of the game.
In a pool report, crew chief John Goble explained that Champagnie and Williams each received one technical foul for pushing each other during a dead ball. Champagnie’s second technical was for making contact with Mitchell’s face, while Williams was T’d up for his actions during the fight.
Goble added that Mitchell and Wallace were tossed because they were not “acting as peacemakers” and were “escalating the altercation.”
Gill wasn’t penalized at all at the time, but obviously the NBA changed its stance upon further review.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, while Champagnie and Mitchell were the ones suspended, they were actually penalized a little less severely from a financial standpoint because their respective contracts are relatively modest. Champagnie will lose $13,503 from $2.35MM salary, while Mitchell will forfeit $17,241 of the $3MM he’s earning in 2025/27.
Four Players Ejected In Thunder-Wizards Scuffle
An altercation late in the first half of Saturday’s game between the Thunder and Wizards resulted in four ejections (Twitter video link from Bleacher Report).
According to Joel Lorenzi and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, it started as a dispute between Washington’s Justin Champagnie and Oklahoma City’s Jaylin Williams that quickly involved several other players. Ajay Mitchell began exchanging words and shoves with Champagnie along the baseline, and the battle spilled into the courtside seats under the basket.
“I’ve never seen him like that,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said of Mitchell. “But at the same time, I’m not really surprised by his reaction. He’s a tough kid, tough as nails. Not only on the court, but off the court as well. He’s as tough as they come, so I knew there’d be no back down when he’s involved in anything.”
After a long review by the officials, Champagnie and Williams were each given two technical fouls, which is an automatic ejection. Mitchell and the Thunder’s Cason Wallace were assessed one technical apiece and were also thrown out of the game.
In a pool report, crew chief John Goble explained that Champagnie and Williams each received one technical foul for pushing each other during a dead ball. Champagnie’s second technical was for making contact with Mitchell’s face, while Williams was T’d up for his actions during the fight.
Goble added that Mitchell and Wallace were tossed because they were not “acting as peacemakers” and were “escalating the altercation.”
The Wizards’ Anthony Gill appeared to shove Mitchell from behind, but Goble stated that no action was taken against him because Wallace pushed Gill into the scrum and it was “not observed that Gill did anything in an unsportsmanlike manner to assess a penalty.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said he’s “worked with John Goble a long time,” and they discussed the ejections before “agreeing to disagree.”
Wizards coach Brian Keefe was on the opposite side of the court and couldn’t see much of the scuffle, but he told reporters, “I just know that our guys stuck up for each other, which I always love.”
The authors note that Saturday’s incident was the third one involving the Thunder in the past few weeks. Luguentz Dort and Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears had a post-game altercation on January 27 that resulted in $25K fines for each of them, and Dort was ejected for tripping Denver center Nikola Jokic in late February, which prompted a face-to-face confrontation between Jokic and Williams.
“It’s a combination of things,” Isaiah Hartenstein replied when asked about the skirmishes. “We’re a physical team. Every time we play, I think there’s always a chip on the other team’s shoulder. We’re also not gonna back down against anything. I don’t really put anyone at fault for that — it just happens. We have a passionate group of guys, and every time we play, teams are coming with their best shot, and sometimes, it just gets physical.”
Saturday’s exchange is expected to result at least in fines and possibly suspensions. They’ll likely be announced before the Wizards play Sunday night in New York. Oklahoma City’s next game is Monday at Philadelphia.
Southwest Notes: Wemby, Missi, Marshall, Christie
While he acknowledges that he would vote for Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander if the season ended today, Sam Amick of The Athletic says Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama continues to strengthen his case in the race for Most Valuable Player and could steal some top-two votes that have long appeared earmarked for Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
As Amick points out, the on/off numbers are a point in Wembanyama’s favor, as the Spurs have a +16.0 net rating when he’s on the court and a 0.0 mark when he’s not, for a 16-point difference. That exceeds the 10-point gap between the Thunder’s net rating when Gilgeous-Alexander is and isn’t on the court. And while SGA is one of the NBA’s top scorers, Wembanyama, the overwhelming favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, is the more impactful player on the other end of the court.
It’s also not out of the realm of possibility that the Spurs could catch Oklahoma City in the Western Conference standings, Amick notes. San Antonio is just 3.5 games out of the No. 1 spot, and Wembanyama has talked about wanting to get to the 60-win mark, whereas the defending champion Thunder may feel less compelled to push hard for seeding at the end of the regular season.
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Pelicans center Yves Missi was considered a prime trade candidate leading up to this season’s deadline, but he remained in New Orleans and has impressed head coach James Borrego, who spoke glowingly of the second-year big man after he racked up 10 rebounds, five blocks, and five assists in a win over Dallas on Monday. “We’re using him a number of ways defensively,” Borrego said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). “Then he gets out and runs. He’s all over the offensive glass. He’s made tremendous strides.”
- Another pre-deadline trade candidate, forward Naji Marshall, is showing why the Mavericks weren’t eager to consider moving him last month, writes Nate Sanchez of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Marshall, who spoke earlier this season about his desire to play alongside Cooper Flagg long-term, had his best game of the season on Monday in New Orleans, with 32 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and no turnovers. “I appreciate everything about Naji,” Flagg said after the game. “He’s just such a good basketball player, all-around, consistent. He shows up every single night and is just a true professional.”
- Flagg, Marshall, and fourth-year wing Max Christie have been a few of the bright spots in an otherwise forgettable season for the Mavericks. Even with Dallas falling well out of the play-in picture, Christie told Spencer Davies of R.org that he wants to “finish strong” and resist letting fatigue get the best of him in what has been a career year so far. The 23-year-old will become extension-eligible this July as he enters the third season of a four-year, $32MM contract.